إِنَّindeed الخَليطَthe company تَصَدَّعhas scattered
إِنَّ الخَليطَ تَصَدَّع
فَطِرso fly بِدائِكَwith your affliction أَوor قَعalight
فَطِر بِدائِكَ أَو قَع
Indeed, the company has scattered.
The mixture is cracked
So fly with your affliction, or alight.
So spread your remedy or settle
لَولاwere it not for جِوارٍmaidens حَسّانٌbeautiful
لَولا جِوارٍ حَسّانٌ
حورُdark-pupilled and white-eyed المَدامِعِthe eyes (literally, tear ducts) أَربَعfour
حورُ المَدامِعِ أَربَع
Were it not for beautiful maidens,
If not for good neighbors
four, with dark, wide eyes:
The maiden of tears is four
أُمُّmother of البَنينِthe sons وَأَسماand Asma’ (continued next line)
أُمُّ البَنينِ وَأَسما
ءُfinal letter of Asma’ وَالرَبابُand al-Rabab وَبوزَعand Bawza‘
ءُ وَالرَبابُ وَبوزَع
Umm al-Banin and Asma’,
Mother of boys and names
and al-Rabab and Bawza‘,
And the violin and bouzouki
لَقُلتُI would have said لِلراحِلِto the departing one اِرحَلdepart
لَقُلتُ لِلراحِلِ اِرحَل
إِذاif بَداseems good لَكَto you أَوor دَعrefrain
إِذا بَدا لَكَ أَو دَع
I would have said to the departing one, “Depart,
I would have told the traveler: Travel
if you wish, or refrain.”
When it suits you or stop